Remember how, as kids, the bright, colorful illustrations in our books truly grabbed our attention? Have you ever felt that special kind of magic when flipping through a children’s book? Sure enough, it is not the stories; those colorful illustrations make everything take on a different tone. So if you’re thinking about trying your hand at illustrating a children’s book, you must be wondering where to even begin, right?
Trust me, I get it. It can feel pretty overwhelming at first. illustrations and design services catching the heart of the story, creating art that grabs not just kids but adults, too, and all that good stuff. But don’t worry, we’ll break this down together.
I’m going to walk you through some steps to get you going on this illustration adventure. Whether you’re completely new to this or just looking for some fresh ideas, we’ll figure it out. Ready to bring some stories to life?
Who Are You Drawing For?
Who is it for? Sounds obvious, but makes all the difference. A toddler book looks very, very different than one for an 8-year-old. Know who you’re writing for; everything from the artwork to color choice will fall into place because of that.
So before you even pick up a pencil, imagine who’s going to read through your pages. What will make their eyes sparkle? What will get them pointing and giggling? That’s the sweet spot we’re aiming for.
Consider Your Age Group
Here’s a quick rundown:
Know Your Audience Well
For Toddlers (1-3 years old): Sincerity and simplicity are the order of the day. They like to be engaged with bright colors, big shapes, and recognizable objects. Too much detail will leave them behind.
For Preschoolers (3-5 years old): You can get a little more detail at this age. They are ready for more expressive characters and love a bit of humor.
For Early Readers, 6-8 years old Children are just starting to read on their own. So, most of your illustrations will serve as a supplement to the text and will not compete for attention with the words.
Emotional Connection is the Key
Emotionally Connectivity With Your Audience
Think of how your characters and colors can emotionally connect with children beyond the technical aspects. If you are drawing a book set in a particular culture or region, do research to reflect it authentically. Kids pick up more than we give them credit for, so they’ll connect with your characters if they feel real.
Pro Tip: Flip through some of the best-selling children’s books for your target age group. Flip through and really look at which kinds of illustrations engage them!
Find Your Style (But Don’t Stress About It!)
One of the biggest barriers between an illustrator and realizing themselves is mastering their “style.” You may think you need one from day one, but honestly? Not so much. Styles evolve over time, and yours will too.
Find Your Style
Start by Experimenting
Experiment with different mediums and styles. You might enjoy how light soft watercolor is, or maybe bold, digital works of art speak to you more. Try whimsicality and cartoon characters, or go for a truer feel-your-way to what feels appropriate.
- Whimsy: Whimsy drawing will be playful, exaggerated, and comically proportioned-suitable for lighthearted stories.
- Realism: This means traditionally more detailed drawings. These are great if they’re in educational or serious stories.
- Minimalist: Easy to print, yet powerful. Sometimes, less is, in fact, more for extremely early readers.
Do not box yourself into one style right away
You don’t have to lock up into one style right away. Heck, don’t even. Give yourself time to try some new things and make some mistakes. Over time, your style will naturally evolve as you get comfortable with it.
Tip: Carry around a sketchbook with you everywhere. Doodle, experiment, and most importantly—have fun with it!
Storyboarding: Your Secret Weapon
Organize Your Illustrations with Storyboarding
Have you ever heard the term “storyboarding”? It is a rather fancy way of saying that you are planning your book visually, and trust me, you’re going to want to draw one in order to keep your illustrations flowing between the pages.
Why You Need One
Storyboards help you understand the pacing of your book. Envision it this way: the text will describe half the story, but your illustrations have to complete the other half. That’s basically where a storyboard really becomes useful. For every page, you get to sketch and imagine some rough ideas so you get a clear roadmap.
- Pacing Matters: Each scene builds upon the last be it escalating tension building excitement or slowing things down for an emotional moment.
- Make the Page Turn Exciting: Think about how you can use page turns to surprise your readers. Sometimes that moment of flipping the page is used as a tool for suspense or even a major reveal!
How to Start
Don’t worry about making these sketches pretty. You’re not shooting for perfection; you’re just planning. Grab a pen (or open up your drawing software) and sketch out simple stick figures or shapes representing your characters and scenes.
Pro Tip: Once you have your storyboard drawn out, share it with someone—maybe a parent, even a kid! Get their feedback on whether the visuals make sense and flow well with the story.
Characters That Jump Off the Page
Make Characters Relatable
Let’s talk characters. Whether it’s a clumsy little elephant or a fierce young princess, memorable characters are what keep kids coming back to a book. So, how do you make characters that stick in their minds? You focus on their expressions and movements.
Make Them Relatable
Even when your characters are animals, they need to be relatable. Kids understand emotions, so your characters can display feelings ranging from joy and sorrow to surprise and frustration in ways children can easily relate to.
- Expressions: Exercise drawing of your character experiencing all aspects of emotion. Exaggerated, over-the-top expressions work best for younger readers.
- Movement: The characters seem to be moving. For instance, consider a character jumping in the air or slumping dramatically when they are sad. Those little things seem to add up.
Consistency
You want your character to look consistent throughout your book. Sounds simple? It can be harder than you think, especially if you’re creating a very detailed character. Write up a “character sheet” showing all angles and different expressions. It will keep everything uniform from page to page.
Tip: Don’t be afraid to exaggerate movements and expressions – kids like it when the characters are life-sized.
Use Color and Composition to Tell the Story
Match Colors to Your Story’s Mood
There is often a question about color use in children’s books. It not only sets the mood and gives your illustrations life but can also do more than just making things look pretty. The usage of color will actually help tell the story.
Choose the Right Colors for the Mood
Think about the overall mood of your book. Is it a happy, cheerful story? Bright, bold colors would be fabulous for that kind of storyline. Is it a calming bedtime story? Softer, muted colors would work perfectly.
- Bright and Bold: Toddlers love bright colors, like red, yellow, and blue. These colors then grab attention to key features in your artwork.
- Soft and Subtle: When you want to go for very soft, calming, or introspective scenes, pastels or earth tones work a lot better.
Don’t Forget About Composition
A good composition relates to balance. You want to lead the eye through the page so that they’re focusing on the most important part of the scene. And don’t forget about white space! Giving your illustrations room to breathe can make them feel more polished and less cluttered.
Pro Tip: Use white space to your advantage. It balances the page so the illustrations will really pop.
Balance The Text And Illustrations
Perhaps you’ve come across picture books where you cannot even notice the text at all because the illustrations are just that powerful. Or you can have a book that is so text-heavy that the illustrations come off like an afterthought. Neither does it well.
Let them work together
Your aim here is to mesh the text and images together. The illustrations should complement and augment the story, not compete with the words. The secret lies in planning where the text will go on the page from the outset. You’ll have fewer problems later when your drawing runs off the page.
Text Placement: Make sure you have enough space for the words. Try various font sizes to see how it might work with your images.
Interaction: Think about how your images can interact with the text. Perhaps a character stretches out to “touch” the words or an element from your scene wraps around the text. These little details can add depth to your book.
Tip: Read the text aloud to yourself and try to guess where illustrations would logically go. Sometimes this will help you decide what should be highlighted visually.
Choose Your Tools: Digital or Traditional?
Digital vs. Traditional: Find Your Style
You will want to decide between digital and traditional media. Honestly, there’s no right or wrong choice here; just do what you feel comfortable with.
Traditional Illustration
Traditional – If you love the feeling of pencil on paper or the flow of watercolors, you may find that traditional means of creating art is the way to go. There’s something magical about making art by hand; just remember that it tends to be more difficult to revise. If you mess up, start all over again, or work around it.
On the other hand, if you have digital tools like Adobe Illustrator, Procreate, or Photoshop, then you’re at an advantage. Change it easily, experiment with the style you want to use, and even get perfectly symmetrical shapes or lines in one click. Not forgetting that it’s easier to correct mistakes.
Pro Tip: If you are starting to learn digital illustration, start small. Free or low-cost programs will help you get in the groove with the process before you spend good money on more advanced tools.
Want To Illustrate Your Children’s Book?
In a world where screens are everywhere, getting kids excited about reading is so important! The top 10 children’s books we’ve talked about aren’t just any stories; they spark imagination, teach valuable lessons, and help kids understand their feelings.
As you share these wonderful tales with your little ones, remember that reading should be a fun adventure. Let their imaginations run wild, and who knows? They might just find their next favorite book in this list of classics and new favorites.
And hey, if you’re a budding author or illustrator ready to share your own stories, NYC Publishing Company is here to help! We’re passionate about children’s literature and can guide you in bringing your book to life. So go ahead, let your creativity shine, and team up with NYC Publishing to inspire the next generation of readers!
